East Stroudsburg woman charged with housing fraud

An East Stroudsburg woman was arrested by Monroe County detectives Wednesday for housing fraud.

Staff reports

An East Stroudsburg woman was arrested by Monroe County detectives Wednesday for housing fraud.

Monroe County Detectives Joseph Coddington and Robert Burns served a felony arrest warrant on Wendy Wilder (also known as Wendy Gilliand-Wilder) for theft by deception (Housing fraud) for collecting rental assistance money for a house she did not live in. She was also charged with not reporting income from a job.

The investigation began when Coddington received information that Wilder was a recipient of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, but was not living in the house that was being provided for her.

Officials said Wilder was leasing a total of four properties. She was residing at 22 Jen Court in East Stroudsburg, sub-leasing 511 N 5th Street in Stroudsburg to her daughter, and sub-leasing 16 Jen Court in East Stroudsburg to a tenant for $760 a month. Wilder was also leasing a property in Florida, according to court records.

The Monroe County Housing Authority was paying rent for the 511 North 5th Street property with the understanding that Wilder was living there. The detective found the daughter of the defendant living there instead. Wilder’s daughter was paying her mother $500 a month to live in that house. The Housing Authority was paying the property owner $499 per month.

A tenant at 16 Jen Court in East Stroudsburg told Coddington that she was paying $760 a month rent to her landlord, Wendy Wilder.

Further investigation determined that Wilder also works as a bartender at the “Happy Hour Tavern” in Stroudsburg and also has a home cleaning business. Wilder never notified the Housing Authority of any income.

Tenants receiving low-income assistance in the Section 8 HCVP are required to meet certain income and eligibility requirements. Wilder was required to certify her information annually with the Housing Authority of Monroe County, provide information on of all household members and any income.

Wilder was required to certify her information annually with the Housing Authority of Monroe County, provide information on of all household members and any income.